The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1887-01-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From ar Rsgxlar corxss9oadxnt.l


Washington, D. G., Jan. "a, 1887.
The pas; week in Congress may very
appropriately be called pension week."
inasmuch as more money was voted out
of the Treasury for this purpose than in
any one week during The present session.
And now there is 1. proposition before
Congress to establish civil pension list,
for the benefit Of Government employees
who have been thirty or forty years at
their desks. This of course meets with
unqualified approval from all the Depart
ment clerks, but it will probably meet a
vigorous opposition from the spoilsmen
in and out Of Congress.
They win hold that instead Of devising
schemes for prolonging the tenure Of Of
fee, Congress had far better set fixed
limit to terms Of official service, and adopt
the policy of rotation.
But rising above all political consider
atoms, the Government could scarcely
do worse thing for the young men Of
the country than to temp them with its
subordinate clerkships, with guaranty
ofretiring them on pension thirty OF
forty years aiterward. No man should
sit at desk in the Departments and
copy letters or add up figures for whole
lifetime. He owes something more to
himself than to enter upon such con-
dition of servitude.
A recent scene in an executive SEES
sion of the Senate has furnished fresh
pabulum for the opponents of secret ses-
sions, and now one hears "star chamber
rowdyism' rung on SO many changes. Il
was Senator RiddIeberger who stirred the
Senate up. The British extradition treaty
being under discussion, he denounced il
as scheme to curry favor with British
tyrants, and said Senators need not hope
to hide their votes on the treaty. He
declared that he would make it his duty
to publish the vote regardless Of the
rules.
This aroused Senators Ednlunds
Evarts, Frye. and others, who undertook
to convince the Virginia Senator that he
was amenable to the rules at all times
Mr.. Riddleberger defed the rules, and
said he would dare the Senate to expel
him for making public votes that would
sacrifice the principles OF this Govern
ment.
At one time several Senators were
shouting at the tops of their. voices, SC
that they were distinctly heard in the
corridors and adjoining committee rooms
The excited remarks were directed al
Senator Riddleberger and he was doing
his best to shout back at four or five
Senators who where shouting at him.
The new Senator elect from New York
Congressman Hiscock, will be conspic-
uous in the Senate through his wide
knowledge of every thing relating to ap.
preparations for the various departments
of the Government. In general debate
he will compare favorably with any of the
Senators. He may never astonish his
auditors there with his brilliancy, but he
is sure to satisfy them always with his
good sense and knowledge of business
affairs.
Mr.. Hiscock has been called an indol,
ent man because he has an appearance
Of repose and is very deliberate in his
movements. His nature seems to be con.
Trajectory, however, for there are times
when he is furlously energetic aud indus.
trious. He has tall, we'll rounded, por-
tly figure, and peculiar mouth which is
said to resemble that seen in the statue
of young Augustus Cesar. Some people
say Mr.. Hiscock shaves his upper lip on
account Of the curves OF this peculiar
mouth, which moustache, If permitted
to grow, would hide.
An indefinite number OF millionaire re-
presented in the person of Mr.. George
Hearst will, next session, resume the
seat they lately occupied in the Senate
wing Of the Capitol. Mr. Hearst will be
distinguished for being one of the rich,
est men in the Senate, the money he
has acquired being his only title to con-
sideration, social or political. He oc-
cupied seat in the Senate few weeks
last year, having been appointed by the
Democratic Governor of California to fill
the vacancy caused by the death Of
Senator Miller. Ills brief career there
was a greater failure than Mr.. Tabor's, for
the latter had sense enough not to try to
make speech, and Mr.. Hearst did not.
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